U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders has delivered a searing critique of American support for Israel’s ongoing military campaign in Gaza, accusing Washington of bankrolling war crimes that have left tens of thousands of civilians, including children, dead.

Speaking on the Senate floor, Sanders referenced a Washington Post report that published the names of children killed in the conflict, noting that the United Nations has confirmed more than 18,000 child deaths since the war began. He stressed that over 12,000 of those killed were under the age of 12, while more than 3,000 children have had limbs amputated.

“These are emaciated children, their bodies in some cases barely more than skeletons,” Sanders said, painting a grim picture of the humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in Gaza.

The senator also highlighted that civilians continue to face deadly conditions even while seeking aid. “The American people are seeing innocent people being shot down while they wait in line to get food while they are starving. Over 1,000 people have been killed waiting in line to get food because they are starving,” he said.

Sanders sharply criticized U.S. financial backing of Israel, pointing out that Washington has provided over $22 billion in military support since the conflict began. Citing research from Brown University, he claimed that U.S. taxpayer money has funded “70% of the Gaza war.”

“In other words, American taxpayer dollars are being used to starve children, bomb schools, kill civilians, and support the cruelty of Netanyahu and his criminal ministers,” Sanders declared.

His remarks add to growing calls within Congress and among the American public for a reassessment of U.S. policy toward Israel, particularly in light of mounting civilian casualties and accusations of war crimes.